THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Thomas opens its 2017 campaign Saturday at Columbia (S.C.). Kickoff from Younts Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET.
Fans can follow the action via live stats on TUNightHawks.com, and updates will be available on Thomas' official women's soccer Twitter account (@NightHawksWSocc).
Game 1/Thomas (0-0) at Columbia (0-0)
Saturday, Aug. 19 • 1 p.m. ET
Columbia, S.C. • Younts Stadium
Live Stats: TUNightHawks.com
Twitter Updates: @NightHawksWSocc
THOMAS IN 19TH SEASON
The 2017 campaign marks the 19th in the history of Thomas women's soccer.
The Night Hawks have reached the NAIA National Championship once in 2003, going 1-1.
Thomas has been a member of The Sun Conference since 2012 and is 31-16 in league play. The Night Hawks reached The Sun Conference Tournament championship in 2015.
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE KOALAS
Ciera McGriff-Duncan and Olivia Taylor each scored a goal for Thomas, but a Columbia score in the 114th minute of double overtime lifted the Koalas to a 3-2 win over the Night Hawks at TU Soccer Complex in last season's opener on Aug. 20, 2016. Kayla Folse had an assist in the match for the Green and White.
Thomas outshot the Koalas, 23-9.
STREAKING ON THE ROAD
Thomas has won five of its last six road games.
LOOKING TO END SKIDS
With a victory Saturday, Thomas would end a four-match losing streak in season openers. The Night Hawks seek their first triumph in a lid lifter since an 11-0 demolition of Brewton-Parker (Ga.) on Aug. 22, 2012.
The Night Hawks face the Koalas for a third-straight season but have lost the prior two matches each by one goal.
BY THE NUMBERS
50: Taylor has started 50-straight matches dating back to 2014.
18: Taylor and Linnea Roivas were the only Night Hawks to start all 18 matches in 2016.
14: Fourteen Thomas returnees started multiple matches last year, including 10 that started eight or more.
9: Thomas has won at least nine games each year since 2011. Entering her fifth season at the helm of the Night Hawks, coach Julie Orlowski is also nine wins shy of 50 during her time on the Magnolia Campus.
6: Six of seven Night Hawks voted All-Conference last season, including two first-team members, return this year. Taylor is also the program's active leader in six categories - games played (56), games started (51), goals (12), assists (14), shots (78) and shots on goal (40).
5: A total of 25 student-athletes on the roster hail from five different states and as many countries.
SHARING IS CARING
Taylor ranked 18th nationally in assists per game (0.560) in 2016.
TOP 25 OPPONENTS
Orlowski's team faces four programs ranked in the NAIA Preseason Top 25: No. 7 Keiser (Fla.), No. 10 William Carey (Miss.), No. 13 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 20 Southeastern (Fla.).
OWNING S.C.
Thomas has won two of its last three games against opponents from the Palmetto State.
OPPONENTS THAT MADE 2016 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Night Hawks face three opponents - Keiser, William Carey and Mobile - that reached last season's NAIA National Championship second round.
INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
Orlowski's group is represented by five countries on this year's roster - the United States, Wales (Katy Hunt), England (Taylor, Anna Gray, Rebekah Wiltshire, Katy Hanscomb), Sweden (Roivas, Anna Felixson) and Ireland (Tara Walsh).
